Page 24 - FWG Issue 1 February 2024

Lifestyle

Educating Neurodiverse Children:
HELPING THEM BE SEEN AND HEARD

B Y GERSHOM AIT CHISON.HEADMA S TER OF EDUC A TION INCORPOR A TED
AND CREA T OR OF EDUTHINK PODC A S T S.

s a school principal, I’m lucky at age 7. Jo’s son is 13 and was diagnosed and high-functioning autism. Early on, I
to have been part of the many at 4. noticed he was different, struggling with
transformative journeys our sleep and speech delays.
Astudents and their families have Jo and Nicola have both faced challenges
gone through. Every journey is different – finding schools that cater to their son’s “His journey through various schools,
as is every child – but as two remarkable needs and for me, this underscores the including a remedial school and a
mothers recently highlighted during importance of embracing neurodiversity specialised dyslexia programme (The Davis
an EduThink Podcast, we are doing our in education. There is no one-size-fits-all Programme), eventually led him to Orion
children a disservice if we don’t learn to approach. Some children learn differently, College. Unfortunately, he outgrew it and
understand and ultimately embrace their and we owe it to them to nurture that went through two more schools before
differences. rather than exclude them because of it. finally settling in the right environment
(nine schools in total). But despite the
Jo Judnick Wilson and Nicola Killops are Nicola touches on her journey with James: challenges, he’s grown into a strapping,
both parents to neurodiverse sons. Nicola’s “James is what they call ‘Twice Exceptional’ bright young man, thriving under
son is 19 and was diagnosed with autism or ‘2E’ – intellectually gifted, with dyslexia Gershom’s care and wisdom.”

Fourways Gardens • 22 • February 2024